Light Meter Styles

What you see in viewfinder

How your picture turns out

Canon EOS Film and Digital

How to Use an SLR (Film or Digital)

Whether your shoot film or digital, mastering exposure and the exposure triangle is the most important thing in photography. Some will argue that composition is the most important; in my opinion, if your image is not properly exposed (if you can't see your image), it doesn't matter how well your image is composed. When it come to exposure, there is no difference between film, digital or even video cameras.

Light Meter Apps

Android Light Meter App

iPhone Light Meter App

iPhone Light Meter App 2

How to Use the Light Meter Apps

Getting the proper exposure is a three variable equation. In photography, that equation is called the Exposure Triangle. The variables in the exposure triangle are shutter speed, aperture (f/stop), and ISO (film speed). The exposure triangle works exactly the same way for film or digital photography. Installing and using the light meter will help you properly expose your pictures and will also help you learn the exposure triangle. Once you learn the exposure triangle, you can shoot film or digital in virtually any lighting condition.

iPhone App 1

This iPhone app illustrates the exposure triangle really well. To use the app and take a picture, complete the following steps:

Set the shutter speed. Remember that shutter speed is a measurement of Time and is marked Time on the light meter. For typical shooting, set the shutter speed to 1/60 (1/60th of a second). Nikons have a default setting of 1/125 and some Pentax cameras have a default setting of 1/100. Check your shutter speed dial and look for red lettering or an "X", and set your shutter speed (Time) on the app to match that camera's default shutter speed.

Set your ISO to 400 because our film speed is 400. One difference between film and digital is that in digital photography, you can change your ISO from one picture to the next. You can not do that with film.

Focus your light meter on your subject and the aperture (f/stop) should begin to spin.

When the aperture stops, set your camera's aperture to match the light meter aperture reading.

Use the focus ring to make sure your subject is clear and then gently press the shutter release button to take your picture.

Unless you have a tripod, never go below 1/30th of a second.

Aperture got bigger when I cut the Time in half. It's the same volume of light as before.

Aperture got bigger when I cut the Time in half. It's the same volume of light as before.

It's like a teeter totter, when one variable goes up, the other goes down, and vice versa.

Android App and iPhone App 2

This app has a vintage feel that I really like and operates like many old school meters. To use this app and take a picture, complete the following steps:

Set your ISO to 400 by using your thumb to rotate the inner white circle until 400 in the ISO window. Remember, our film speed is 400. One difference between film and digital is that in digital photography, you can change your ISO from one picture to the next. You can not do that with film. However, in film and digital, the lower the ISO the smaller the grain (in film) or the less noise (in digital).